Indian Grand Prix: Court hears bid to cancel Sunday's race

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India's Supreme Court will hear a petition on Friday which is seeking the cancellation of this weekend's Indian Grand Prix.

The petition was filed on the grounds that the organisers have allegedly not paid taxes for a previous event.

However, race organisers say the race will still go ahead.

Indian motorsports chief Vicky Chandhok said: "The race will go on. There's absolutely no doubt about that. This has happened many times before."

Chandhok, who heads the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India, added: "You've had people trying to stop cricket matches - our justice system is pretty strong that no sporting event should be stopped.

"It's a civil matter. Let it be heard in court as long as it takes and that's it. No worries."

A spokesman for the circuit's owner, Jaypee Sports International Limited, said: "Whatever the court says, we are ready to follow."

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, who leads rival Fernando Alonso of Ferrari by 90 points with 100 still available, could clinch his fourth title in India this Sunday.

The German, who has led every racing lap at the Indian Grand Prix since its debut in 2011, will triumph if he finishes fifth or higher, regardless of where Alonso finishes.

The Supreme Court in India has executive powers and ordered circuit bosses two years ago to freeze 25% of ticket revenues until they had settled an outstanding tax dispute.

That ruling followed Public Interest Litigation filed by campaigner Amit Kumar, the same man who is behind Thursday's petition.

The long-term future of the Indian Grand Prix is already uncertain after F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone removed the race from the 2014 calendar.

Organisers are trying to find a new date for its return in 2015, with Ecclestone keen for the race to take place in the early part of the season, rather than its current October date.